If you think a job in space is a final frontier too far to cross, you may be mistaken. Space travel is coming. This artist's illustration courtesy of SpaceX, shows the SpaceX BFR (Big Falcon Rocket) launch vehicle passenger spacecraft, enabling access for everyday people who dream of travelling to space. (Photo by AFP PHOTO /SPACEX/HANDOUT

Business

How to jump on-board the $6 billion jobs boom

by Amanda Horswill

14th Mar 2019 2:56 PM
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PREPARE now to cash in on a $6 billion Queensland industry of the future.

That's the message in the Queensland Government's Queensland Aerospace 10-Year Roadmap and Action Plan, which aims to turn the booming local industry into a global star by 2028.

But there is a major hurdle to overcome. There is already a "severe shortage of aviation personnel and the situation is growing worse", a recent Federal Department of Infrastructure Report of the Expert Panel on Aviation Skills and Training found.

"The size of the challenge is enormous," the report said.

" … global demand for additional aviation technicians will exceed 648,000 (256,000 will be required in the Asia Pacific) and over 637,000 additional pilots will be required (253,000 will be required in the Asia Pacific)."

This represents an opportunity for students looking at their career options to consider the industry as a long-term career.

Pilots and aircraft maintenance technicians were the top priorities, according to the Aviation 2018 IRC Skills Forecast. That forecast said 70 per cent of employers in the sector reported experiencing a skills shortage in the past year, including industry qualified aerospace educators, avionic/software engineers and aerodrome reporting officers.

Boeing Defence Australia's human resources director Trina Medley said the company, which employed more than 1000 people in Brisbane alone, needed workers.

"Boeing Defence Australia's national workforce has almost doubled over the past 10 years and that growth is set to continue, including here in Brisbane," Ms Medley said.

"The opportunities for anyone wanting to move into engineering and aerospace are truly limitless. From fast jet sustainment and factory automation research through to advancing autonomous aerospace systems and customer technical support, our employees work on projects that push the boundaries of imagination and excellence every day.

"We will need talented, passionate and innovative people to join our team for many years to come."

She said Boeing employees work in development programs for the Australian Defence Force, including the Project Currawong battlespace communication system and a major upgrade program for the Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft operated by the Royal Australian Air Force. About 40 per cent of their total workforce were engineers.

"We have a portfolio of work spanning almost every discipline of engineering with roles available in hardware, software, systems, electrical, electronic and aerospace, along with a number of technical, maintenance and analysis positions," she said. "We also need skilled and creative thinkers for our support services including in HR, finance and supply chain.

"The key activities performed in Brisbane include advanced research and development; designing and developing complex, large-scale communications and aircraft mission systems; and developing unmanned and autonomous systems."

Queensland was home to almost a third of the nation's aerospace industry businesses, State Government figures show, with more than 300 enterprises based here.

Nick Herbert and son Isaac Herbert, 11, check out NASA — A HUMAN ADVENTURE exhibition on now at the Queensland Museum. Photo: AAP/ John Gass)

A recent Deloitte report showed that the state could have a $6 billion industry by 2036. Their Sky is not the Limit: Building Queensland's Space Economy report stated the industry comprised more than 2000 full-time positions and generated $760 million per year through core industry services like satellite communications.

A government spokesman said that in-school training, such as provided by Aviation High's School of Excellence in Aerospace and Aviation, would help fill the skills shortage.

"The aerospace industry comprises the wide range of entities involved with the research, design and development of flight vehicles and equipment, as well as the support of these activities. Flight vehicles include aeroplanes and rotorcraft, UAS, rockets, missiles and spacecraft such as satellites.

"Aerospace businesses provide goods and services across all aspects of the design, development, manufacture, modification, testing, operation and maintenance of all flight vehicles and their on-board and ground systems."

WHY IS THE INDUSTRY GROWING?

Growing aircraft fleet demand

Growing defence budgets

Demand for maintenance, repair and overhaul

Regional demand for training

Global sustainability trends

WHAT'S GOING ON IN QUEENSLAND?

"Queensland has more than 31 per cent of the industry's establishments, more than 300 enterprises

• the Aerospace Autonomy Group within the Science and Engineering Faculty at QUT, which conducts research into subsystem analysis, design and build (including detect-and-avoid

and multi-sensor navigation), optimisation and data-driven air traffic analysis

• hypersonic flight research at UQ and University of Southern Queensland (USQ) in conjunction with the Defence Science and Technology Group - Centre for Hypersonics implementation, which investigates unsteady hypersonic aerodynamic effects in Australia's only supersonic-to-hypersonic wind tunnel located at USQ Toowoomba

• nanotechnology and materials science research at Griffith University and the Queensland Centre for Advanced Materials Processing and Manufacturing (AMPAM) at UQ, delivering